Synopsis

The Glycemic index can be a helpful tool to use for managing diabetes. It provides a measure of how fast certain foods, especially carbohydrates, are likely to raise blood sugar levels. So how this works then is, foods with a high Glycemic index rating have the potential to elevate blood sugar levels faster while foods that have a low Glycemic index rating will not bump up blood sugar levels as quickly, if at all.

People with diabetes can use the Glycemic index as a tool to guide in choosing foods to come up with the right diabetic diet for every meal. However, you need to take into account that a certain food's GI value is changeable; the standards set are mostly for foods in their raw state. Any effect any food will have on blood sugar levels depends also on factors such as cooking time, the amount of fiber and fat, ripeness, the person's blood insulin levels, recent activity and even the time of day.

The best advice is to stick to the established guidelines for a healthy well-balanced diet. These are the tried and tested rules:

* Choose foods high in fiber such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

* Choose fresh or raw foods in place of canned or processed foods

* Follow a low-carbohydrate, low in sugar diet as much as possible

Plan your diabetic diet with a licensed dietitian. He can help you interpret the Glycemic index to make meal planning more precise.